Windows 8 came with many new features like new Start Screen which shows live tiles of programs, Windows Explorer with Ribbon, new Start button, new tiny Start Menu and many other Metro UI stuff. However, no matter what you think of Windows 8, you might find it difficult to get used to the system where classic start menu and start button missing. It seems that the folder-structured Start menu popping up from the start button is the quickest and easiest way to launch the application when you are working in the desktop or other programs.

Start button has been permanently removed from Windows 8, but there are ways to get them back. Here I share some methods to restore the missing start buttom:

Method 1 Use New Taskbar Toolbar

1. Right-click on Taskbar and select Toolbar-> New toolbar…

2. When Browse dialog box opens, copy and paste the string in the box say folders by default:

  %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

  Then click on Select Folder and close the window.

3. You can see Programs with >> on the right of the taskbar.

To move it next to the Windows icon, which would seem like a start button, you need to drag the toolbar, click and hold the drag-handle and drop it just after and Start Button.

4. Now you can right click on the taskbar and untick Lock the taskbar. Click the >> icon and it’s just like the start button which will show all the shortcut to the applications on your computer.

5. If you do not like it, you can remove it by right-clicking on Program and ticking Unlock the taskbar and then right-clicking on Program again to choose Close the toolbar.

Method 2 Use third-party tool

There are some brilliant Windows 8 Start button alternatives like Start8, Start Menu 8, etc. When the app’s installation is finished, the familiar round start button you remember from Windows 7 appears. Also, the entire start menu looks just like Windows 7 with the same options in the same location.  

Method 3 Get used to Start Screen

Windows 8 starts to a Start Screen that displays tiles that link to a limited set of programs and features for various options such as mail, video, music. When you click on the Next icon, you can see all the applications on your computer and you can click on it to start. Here’s the start menu of Windows 8 with more UI than Windows 7. It’s not bad actually.